Wednesday Waffle is the life hack for a strong friendship
No matter how hard you try, due to all the hustle and bustle of daily life, it is not always easy to see or speak to your friends regularly. Especially not if they are leaving (for a while) to go abroad. Since one of my friends lives in New Zealand, we therefore use the TikTok trend ‘Wednesday Waffle’. This life hack is the trick to catch up weekly in an easy way and, according to psychologists, it really keeps your friendships strong.
Where does ‘Wednesday Waffle’ come from?
The trend was created by TikToker Zachary Perez and emerged during corona. Zachary scheduled a weekly Zoom moment with his friends for their ‘albums club’, their own variant of the book club where they discussed music. But after a while, they noticed that it was becoming increasingly difficult to find a time when everyone could join. Therefore, they came up with a solution: they started sending each other short videos weekly to catch up, and soon it was really not just about music anymore.
How does ‘Wednesday Waffle’ work?
The idea of ‘Wednesday Waffle’ is simple, you send each other a short video in which you tell what you experienced that week or what is still on the agenda. It can also be a voice message, as long as it is not a typed message. Don't let the name mislead you, it can really be on a different day than Wednesday. The life hack actually has nothing to do with a real waffle, waffle is Australian slang and actually means ‘talking a lot without a real reason’. We all have a moment during the week to record something, and you can also schedule the viewing or listening of the other person's message yourself. I can tell you, especially with a time difference, that is ideal. It gives you a framework that you still speak to each other weekly, no matter how busy you are.
The power of rituals
One of the reasons why ‘Wednesday Waffle’ works so well, according to Michael Norton, a professor at Harvard Business School, is that rituals play an important role in deepening connections. “It turns out that when groups of people perform rituals together, this has some really interesting psychological effects. Rituals are not necessarily good or bad, but they are powerful and influence our thoughts, feelings, and behavior.” During one of his studies, he had two groups of people perform the same scavenger hunt; the only difference: one group had first performed a simple ritual together. What turned out? The group with the ritual communicated better, worked together more smoothly, and argued less. Such an effect can also happen with ‘Wednesday Waffle’, according to Norton. By continuously staying in touch this way, you create a sense of closeness and continuity in your friendship.
‘Wednesday Waffle’ as a loving reminder
The core of a good relationship is a meaningful connection; but if you don't see or speak to each other for a long time, you can lose sight of that a bit. A ‘Wednesday Waffle’ is an easy way to remind someone that you love them and care about their well-being. This can help reduce feelings of loneliness and stress According to author Shasta Nelson, having contact weekly in the same way ensures that you can better gauge how someone will react, which creates a sense of safety. Being able to share everything with someone and being able to be vulnerable also makes you feel loved and supported, according to Nelson. Even if a ‘Wednesday Waffle’ is just a short moment, it can have a big impact.
I can tell you, it is really a trend that makes you happy. Every week you look forward to that one message and you are completely caught up, even if you are on the other side of the world. Definitely a recommendation.
Image: Instagram|staskaranikolaou
